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(No Model.) .2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

- A. B. JONES.

FOLDING TABLE.

No. 390,173. Patented Sept. 25, 1888.

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(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. B. JONES.

FOLDING TABLE. No. 390,173. Patented Sept. 25, 1888.

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ALONZO B. JONES, OF JEFFERSONVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LEE JONES, OF SAME PLACE.

FCLDING TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 110,390,173, dated September 25, 1888.

Application filed August 6, 1887.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALONZO B. Jones, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jefferson ville, in the county of Clarke and State of Indiana. have invented. new and useful Improvements in Folding Tables, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in folding tables; and it consists in a certain novel construction and arrangement, fully set forth hereinafter, and clearly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a reverse plan view of table with legs folded. Fig. 2 is a similar View with the legs extended. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of operating mechanism removed from the table-top. Fig. 5 is a detail View of the spring for the legs. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the catch. Fig. 7 is a similar view of the sliding bar. Fig. 8 is a similar view of the joint between the legs and the brace-bar.

Referring by letter to the drawings, A designates the table, to the under side of which are secured the cleats B B, and O O designate the legs of the table, which are hinged to the said cleats. The upper ends of the legs are provided with longitudinal slots 0, and in these are secured the ends of the cross bars or braces D, thus connecting the legs at each end of the table together for simultaneous operation. The legs at one end of the table interlock with those at the other when they are folded.

E designates a plate secured to the under side of the table, having a groove or slot, 6, therein adapted to receive the head f on the end of the catch F. The other end of the said arm is pivoted to the bracket G, which is secured to the cross-bar D, and the said bracket is also provided with a keeper, g, for a purpose hereinafter explained.

In suitable brackets, h h, on the under side of the table is journalcd the shaft H, to which is secured the spiral spring H. A drum or block, I, is also secured rigidly to the shaft H, having a series of sockets, i, in the periphery thereof, in one of which sockets is secured the end of the rod J, the opposite end of which passes through and operates in the keeper 9. It will be seen that the tendency of the spring Serial No. 246,307. (No model.)

is to draw the legs up under the table, and the strength of the spring may be altered at will by inserting the end of the rod J in the peripheral sockets and turning the drum, (and consequently the shaft attached thereto,) to either tighten or loosen the spring.

K K designate latches pivoted to the upper side of the plate E, with the inner ends thereof arranged close together and the outer abrupt ends arranged across the slot 0.

L L are springs secured to the upper side of the plate to hold the latches normally in the position described; but it will be seen that the outer ends of the latches may be pressed back against the power of the springs, so that the abrupt ends thereof are out of the line of the slot. Therefore when the legs of the table are extended the head f of the catch-bar slides along the slot 6, pushing the outer end of the latch against the strength of the spring until the head passes beyond the end of the latch, when the latter will resume its normal position, and the abrupt end thereof will engage the head of the catch-arm and prevent the legs from folding by the action of the spring H.

M designates a sliding bar, operating in suitable keepers on the under side of the tabletop, and having a handle, m, on one end and a depending ear, m, on the other end, to engage with the inner ends of the latches. It will be readily seen that when this bar is drawn outwardly the outer ends of the latches will be drawn out of engagement with the catch-bar and the spring H will fold the legs, as de scribed. This action is very simple, the en- 8 gagement of the legs in the extended positions being automatic and the folding of the same being automatic when the latches are withdrawn.

I have herein described a spiral spring opcrating the legs to normally hold them folded; but it will be seen that an ordinary coiled spring would serve the same purpose, the only difference being that the spiral spring is more easily adjusted as regards tension than the 5 coiled spring, and consequently I prefer to use it in the manner set forth.

My present invention is an improvement upon that set forth in Patent No. 346,660, granted to me on August 3, 1886, and thererco fore a few of the features of this device are identical with some which are shown and described in that patent.

The upper ends of the legs are provided with small wheels or rollers, as in the previous patent, to enable the table when folded to be rolled under an article of furniture out of the way.

The arrangement of thelatches for the catchbars is more simple, and the engagement of the same is more certain and less likely to get out of order than in the former device.

Particular stress is laid on the construction of thejoint between the legs and the cross bar or brace.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination, with the table-top, the legs hinged thereto, and the bars secured to the said legs, of the brackets h h, secured to the under side of the table-top, the shaft H,journaled in hearings in the said brackets, spiral spring secured to the shaft, block or drum I, rigidly fastened on the shaft, having a series of sockets in the periphery, and the rod J, adapted to fit in one of the said sockets and hear at the end against the bar to hold the legs in the folded position, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the table-top, the legs hinged thereto, and the bars D, secured to the legs, of the brackets 71, shaft H, journalcd therein, the spring to rotate the shaft, the brackets G, secured to the bars D, and having a keeper, therein, rod J, secured at one end to the shaft H and operating in the said keeper at the other, the grooved plate E, secured to the under sideof the table, and the catch-arm 1*, pivoted at one end to the bracket G, and having ahead on the other end to operate in the groove in the plate E, all constructed and arranged substantially as specified.

8. The combination, with the table-top, of the legs hinged thereto and connected in pairs, springs connected to said legs to fold them when released, a plate, E, having a longitudinal groove, 6, secured to the tabletop slightly below the same, the lever-latches K, pivoted on said plate between the same and the tabletop and having their inner ends brought near together, springs acting on the inner ends of said latches to hold their outer ends normally over the slot (2, means for simultaneously op erating said latches, and the catch-arms pivotally connected to the legs, and having their upper ends sliding in the slot 0 and normally engaged by the outer ends of the latches K, substantially as specified.

4:. The combination, with the table-top, of the legs hinged thereto, bars secured to the said legs, spring to fold the legs against the under side of the tabletop, the plate 1E,having a longitudinal groove, 0, therein, spring-actuatcd latches pivoted to the upper side of the plate and having the outer ends normally above the groove 0, the catch-arms F, pivoted to the bars I), and having heads on the inner ends to operate in the groove 0 and engage with the outer ends of the catches, and the sliding bar M, secured to the under side of the table-top and having a depending car to engage the inner ends of the latches, whereby when the sliding bar is drawn out the outer ends of the latches will be disengaged from the catch-arms and the legs will be folded by spring action, substantially as specified.

In testimony that Iclaim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALONZO B. JONES.

lVitncsses:

G. \V. Cox,

t. J. CONNER. 

